[ Previous Page ]     [ Next Page ]        Page:

What are the benefits of this teaching?

• First of course is obedience to God.
• Secondly, you develop a lasting closeness with your children. They are use to listening to you and talking with you. They know they can confide in you and that you want to advise them.
• Thirdly, your children develop self-confidence. They know they are capable of beginning and completing a task. Establishing their own homes as adults will be easier because of the skills they learn at your side.
• Fourthly, they have learned a work ethic that will make them productive adults.

It is a sad situation when young people reach adulthood and don't know how to cook a meal, clean a house, do laundry, mow a lawn, or change the oil. They marry and are faced with chores that need to be done and they have no idea where to begin.

Many marriages today end with the words, "I'm just not happy." God does not promise anyone happiness. God promises joy, but even that joy comes from grief that He might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3 "...to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

Another verse that many people have difficulty accepting is Psalm 90:10 "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

God promises that the strength of life is found in labor and grief, not play and happiness.

We often hear Titus 2:3-5 taught to encourage older women to get involved in the lives of younger women and I love this passage of scripture. Sadly, we seldom hear the rest of the chapter being taught. Verses 1-2 challenge the aged men. Verses 6-8 are mandating that someone teach the young men to be sober minded, spiritual, involved in charitable work and be of character that is above reproach. We may think this covers everyone but I want you to look at verses 9-10. I can just hear you saying, "I'm not a servant!" You are wrong, unless you are independantly wealthy. Each of us who works for a wage is the servant of our employer. Each of us who is self employed is the servant of our customer.

Titus 2:1-15 "

1. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10. Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

Verses 11-15 and on through chapter 3 go on to tell us that our conduct in this present world has a lasting effect on others. Young people who are not taught to work are uncomfortable and uncertain when their classroom education is finished. They expect life to be games and fun and happiness but they are doomed to disappointment be cause life is un-ending work. They have not been taught the blessing of knowing how to work. They don't realize that having a job is more important than whether you like the job.

[ Previous Page ]     [ Next Page ]        Page:

This page has been displayed 2 times this month, 33 times since October 13, 2008 .